Twins, Saints affiliated someday? Don’t count on it
Though Dave St. Peter and Derek Sharrer said there are reasons to discuss a future affiliation between the Minnesota Twins and St. Paul Saints, there are millions — and maybe tens of millions — of reasons why that will never happen. It makes for a good story: the two were on a panel together at […]
Now available: Never a Bad Game: Fifty Years of the Southern League
We’re proud to announce the immediate availability of Never a Bad Game: Fifty Years of the Southern League, by the award-winning author Mark McCarter. Fans of the Southern League have seen it all since the circuit was founded 50 years ago: colorful characters, charming ballparks, and some of the best baseball players showing their potential. […]
Tourists to host 2015 South Atlantic League All-Star Game
Another event to note: The Asheville Tourists and McCormick Field are hosting the 2015 South Atlantic League All-Star Game, scheduled for June 23, 2015. “We are extremely excited to have the opportunity to bring one of the premier events in Minor League Baseball to Asheville and to historic McCormick Field,” said Tourists president Brian DeWine. […]
Quakes land 2015 California-Carolina League All-Star Game
Mark it on your calendars: The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes will host the 2015 California-Carolina League All-Star Game at LoanMart Field, marking the third time Rancho Cucamonga has hosted this inter-league event. “We are very excited to have the opportunity to bring the All-Star Game back to Rancho Cucamonga for the first time since 2003,” said […]
What happens at a ballpark before a game? Lots of prep
We know most of our readers work in the baseball industry, but for those who don’t and want a glimpse of the glamor that is game prep, here’s a look at a typical Madison Mallards (summer collegiate; Northwoods League) pregame routine. It’s all pretty standard: beer deliveries, food preparation, field grooming. One interesting note: former […]
Biloxi’s name-the-team contest extended again
Well, this is certainly being milked to good effect: the name-the-team contest for the new Biloxi Southern League team is being extended yet again, for a week. Over 48,000 votes have been cast (an average of 95 votes per hour since the contest began on June 2.), according to team officials. The six finalists — […]
Yes, new Sounds ballpark will have iconic guitar scoreboard
This has actually been in the works for months: First Tennessee Park, opening in 2015 as home of the Nashville Sounds (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) will feature a guitar-shaped scoreboard similar to the one made famous in Greer Stadium. “We listen to our fans. Keeping the beloved guitar-shaped scoreboard is just part of our […]
Padres upgrade video, audio for 2014 season
The San Diego Padres are celebrating 10 years at Petco Park, and one immediate improvement this season: a new Park at the Park videoboard and an upgraded audio system with 226 new speakers. “As we celebrate 10 years of Petco Park this season, our ownership group has committed to a multi-year plan to make major […]
American Association, Can-Am game broadcasts free via the Web
It’s always good to watch more baseball: The independent American Association and Can-Am League are live-streaming games from all ballparks across multiple platforms. The streaming is part of a partnership with InnovaTV for the 2014 season. Fans can view the games on indpendentprofessionalbaseball.com, which is compatible with desktop and laptop computers; a variety of Apple […]
NCAA’s Emmert disses minor-league sports; teams diss Emmert
NCAA President Mark Emmert’s statement during a trial — that minor-league teams are not successful and don’t entertain fans — created waves of chatter among pro-baseball front offices, so expect a flood of promos mocking him, with the St. Paul Saints and Lake County Captains eading the way. Emmert testified in the ongoing Ed O’Bannon […]
Frontier League launches Hall of Fame
Good idea: the independent Frontier League, now in its 22nd season, is launching a Hall of Fame, with inductees Morgan Burkhart, Aaron Ledbetter, Scott Pinoni, Fran Riordan, Kirk Taylor and Dr. W. Chris Hanners to be honored at the league All-Star Game. Also to be recognized at the All-Star Luncheon on Tuesday, July 15 at […]
After offseason fire, Fifth Third Ballpark shines at Midwest League ASG
Tuesday night’s Midwest League All-Star Classic was more than a showcase of baseball talent. It was a celebration of a remarkable effort by the West Michigan Whitecaps to rebuild a ballpark heavily damaged by fire less than six months ago, reports Trey Wilson. As more than 7,000 fans filled the seats of Fifth Third Ballpark, […]
Ripken Stadium unveils orange outfield wall for home opener
This should be a cool look: Ripken Baseball installed a new orange outfield wall at Ripken Stadium, home of the Aberdeen IronBirds (short season A; NY-Penn League), as part of a larger ballpark upgrade. ”We designed the new outfield wall to enhance the fan experience and to create a distinct home field advantage for the […]